NY Legislature Passes Ethics Reform

But Paterson Vows to Veto the Package

Thursday, January 21, 2010

The New York State legislature has approved an ethics reform package but the bills don't go as far as Governor Paterson would like. Karen DeWitt has more from Albany.

REPORTER: The bill strenghtens the notoriously weak legislative ethics commission, requires greater disclosure of lawmakers outside income, and makes it easier for the state board of elections to enforce the state's campaign finance laws. Sponsor Senator Eric Schneiderman says the new law will lift the fog that he says hangs over the Capitol.

SCHNEIDERMAN: We've got to end the culture of pay to play. We've got to end the perception and the reality that people are able to influence the government.

REPORTER: Governor Paterson, who has proposed his own set of ethics reforms that go further than the legislatures package, says he'll veto the bills as soon as they reach his desk. A spokesman for the Senate says they plan to override.

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